


In This Life, My Choice is You

by Thousand_Sweet_Kisses



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2020-02-26 11:30:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18716164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thousand_Sweet_Kisses/pseuds/Thousand_Sweet_Kisses
Summary: My take on what happens after film one. This was my NANO from two years ago, and finally got it edited and divided into chapters. Parts of CoG included but this is definitely AU. Heads up that I wrote whatever I wanted in whatever order I wanted, so some chapters are missing, and are being worked on as we speak. Currently have chapters 1-16 done, plus others afterwards.





	1. Chapter 1

With a sigh the three magic wielders retreated back into the subway tunnel, a few aurors were repairing the walls; but one was holding Tina’s wand in one hand and Newt’s wand and case in the other. The man kept glancing at the case, as if something dangerous would and could burst out at any moment.

Tina held back a chuckle at that observation, because it was true to an extent, so Tina couldn’t blame the poor man. The only creature the man had seen come out of the case was Frank, Newt’s thunderbird. Tina could see why the case would trouble the man holding it and everyone else still in the Subway. Newt shuffled away from the girls and gently took his wand and case back; the auror gave him a grateful smile. He then moved and handed Tina her wand back to her as well, before addressing the three of them.

“MAdam President wishes to meet with you after enough time to escort Mr. Scamander to the Sonoran Desert. She is assigning you to make sure that he makes it there and back safely; with no more escaping creatures.” He told her and Tina nodded before walking away. Newt was standing near Queenie awkwardly shuffling his weight from foot to foot.

“Let’s get FRank and go home,” she said softly. NEwt nodded before looking around and finding some litter on the ground. With a quick wave of his wand, two exact copies of a day old newspaper appeared. A second movement and all three papers became plain, black umbrellas. Hand two of them to Tina and Queenie, keeping the third for himself. Then he led the way to the street.

“If you two could keep your wands and eyes on the case, please?” He asked, his own eyes to the sky along with his wand. He sounded a shrill whistle and watched as frank sank lower and lower in the sky, and angeled himself towards them; towards the whistle. Newt opened the case and watched as frank sank into the case and Tina and Queenie made sure no other creatures tried to escape the case. None did. A flick of Newt’s wrist and the lid of the case shut and the locks latched shut. Newt picked up the case and silently walked over the the women. 

He stumbled, weary from multiple days and sea, it was really hard to truly rest with the ground unsteady, followed by two days of rescuing his creatures, and culminating in the attempted rescue of an obscurial and the capture of Gellert Grindelwald. So suffice it to say that he was tired, and mayne slightly injured from a few cures that he had been unable to fully dodge, along with a few stumbles from racing through the tunnels.

Tina seemed to sense this and reached out to steady him. He nodded his thanks to her. She then grabbed her sister’s arm with her free hand, and apparated the three of them to the alley near their apartment. The apparation point for the building. This time it was Tina’s turn to stumble. Newt also returned the favor and unthinkingly wrapped his now free arm around her waist.

“You should climb into your case. It’ll be easier to get passed Mrs. Esposito that way.” She whispered, to which NEwt nodded and set down the case behind the sisters, who provided the cover he needed. A minute or two later and the case’s lid shut when Newt pulled a small, hidden lever in his shed/workshop. Tina latched the case before picking it up in one hand and Queenie’s hand with the other. With a gentle tug she led her sister into the building and up to the apartment, spared the arrival of the landlady. Queenie was zoning out, in a fog: completely silent, staring at nothing and non-responsive. Tina’s heart was breaking for her sister. She had spent most of her live watching and taking care of her sister, but this was not something Tina could protect her from. Heartbreak had to be dealt with individually. Though she would do whatever it took to help her sister.

With a sigh Tina kicked the door shut behind them before setting down the case near the door to shuck her coat off and remover her hat. She kicked her shoes off before seeing to Queenie and getting her out of her own coat, hat and shoes. She then steered her sister to the couch before flicking her wand to light the fire in their fireplace. A second flick in the direction of the kitchen to start heating water for some tea. She grabbed the case and set it down behind the couch. Three raps on the lid to let Newt know that the coast was cleared and it was okay to come out.

She headed for the kitchen to finish the mugs of tea, as he climbed out of his case. The man had taken off his own blue tweed jacket and his mustard yellow waistcoat. His shoes had been left in the case. He padded over to the window, watching the slowing rain. Tina came back into the room carrying a steaming mug in her hands. She glanced at NEwt, who was watching them from the corner of his eye. Then she pressed the mug into Queenie’s hands and sank to the ground in front of her and made sure she drank the sugary hot chocolate..

When Queenie finished the drink, Tina banished the empty mug to the kitchen. She then headed into the kitchen to make herself and Newt a cup of a hot beverage. While she was gone Queenie got up from the couch and stood by him near the window. She reached out her hands with a sad smile and squeezed his own hands before dropping them, both of them turning to the window.

Tina came back, to ask Newt if he wanted tea or hot chocolate, and sighed at the sight of the two of them. The two of them had been put through a ringer or two in the last several hours to days in Newt’s situation. With a sigh Tina rolled her neck trying to get out the tension, it worked a little. At least her neck disks popped back into place. She joined them, watching as Frank’s rainstorm lessened, the thunder and lightning having vanished some point after apparating to the apartment building and Newt coming back out of his case.

Her hand brushed Newt’s shoulder as she moved past him to stand between him and Queenie. His head turned to her, eyes meeting briefly before his gaze was once more focused outside the window. They watched what little of the sunset and stopping rain before someone spoke. Surprisingly it was Queenie who spoke.

“Anyone hungry?” She asked, her voice rough with suppressed emotion, her mind unconsciously shielding itself with Occlumency. Newt and Tina shook their heads in the negative; after the last few hours, food was the last thing on either of their minds. Queenie nodded before drifting away from the window, in the direction of the bedroom and water closet. Tina watched her go, body tensing again as she worried about her sister. A few seconds after the door closed, Tina made to go to her sister, to try and comfort her. A gentle but restraining hand stopped her from going to far though. She turned to Newt, ready to tell him to back off and let her go take care of her sister when he spoke. His words held reason and she forced herself to listen to them.

“I may not know Queenie as well as you do, she is your sister after all, but I do know a thing or two about heartbreak,” he started looking at her face briefly before his eyes fell to her shoulders. “Give her some time alone, let her start processing what just happened. She’ll let you know if she wants or needs you.” He finished his eyes once more finding hers. He held the stare for a minute before removing his hand.

He returned to his suitcase and turned to look at Tina. He gave her a small smile before descending into his suitcase. The lid shut behind him and left Tina staring at it. She sighed, knowing that Newt was right. So she went into the kitchen and made two mugs of hot chocolate. She brought them over to the suitcase before knocking on the lid once again. He poked his head out and she handed one of the mugs over.

“It’ll warm you up, and at least it’s something in you belly. Goodnight Newt.” She told him before turning back to the kitchen to drink her own mug before heading to the lavatory across the hall to bathe before bed. She did not see if he drank the hot chocolate or not.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun was long awake when most of the occupants of the small New York apartment stirred into their own wakefulness. Newt finally emerged from his case, placed under the window he had stared out of the night before; Tina must have moved him when she came back the night before. He had only been awake long enough to feed his creatures their own breakfast; though the task did take about twice as long that morning. New had been moving slowly and stiffly as he felt the effects of his mini duel with Gellert Grindelwald yesterday, along with the sore muscles he had always had after receiving a new creature into his care, though he merely retrieved the ones he already had. 

He held in his hand the things he needed to make a cup tea for himself, he brought the ingredients from his case, with the knowledge that whatever the sisters had would not be to his personal taste. He patiently waited for the tea to steep to his standards before draining the cup, feeling the burn of hot liquid going down his throat. After a few moments he felt more awake and brewed himself another cup of tea, intending to sip and savor this one.

While he waited he inspected the contents of the cupboards in the little kitchen. He wanted real food for breakfast, not tea, but knew that Queenie would more than likely not be up to cooking that morning, and from the comments Queenie gave Tina, assumed that Tina was not much of a cook. So Newt would cook for the three of them. He found the ingredients for pancakes, which was something he could make, and make well if his sister’s comments were to be believed, and he generally always believed her.

He brought all the ingredients to the small countertop and started to work. After mixing the dry ingredients together he started on the wet/cold ingredients before combining them. He then found a flat skillet and brought it up to temperature and melted butter into it before beginning to cook the pancakes.

Soon the sound of sizzling batter filled the air and the smell of warming maple syrup, that New had placed into a small pot of water to warm, filled the apartment. Tina rushed into the kitchen a look of panic and anger on her face; her wand brandished in front of her, ready to hex him. She slid to a stop, thanks to her stockinged feet with no shoes, and stared at him for a moment before reason caught up to her and her arm lowered, no longer pointing at him.

Newt had watched her face during the moments between her entering and wand being lowered, seeing the anger and panic leave, replaced by understanding, as the memories of the previous night came back to her freshly awake and not quite firing on all levels, mind. She gave him a small sheepish smile as she met his eyes for a brief moment before leaning, slumping, against the doorjamb she had just entered. 

Newt led her through to the table where she sat down and watched as he brewed a cup of coffee before levitating a mug of black coffee over to her. She inhaled the steam as it rose from the mug, starting to already feel more awake. Newt then brought over the cream and sugar for her, not knowing how she took her coffee.

Tina took a few sips of the black coffee, surprised to find that he had brewed the coffee perfectly. She only had to add a bit of cream to the cup to be her prefered style. She continued to sip her cup of coffee as Newt finished the first batch of pancakes. He piled them onto a large plate and sent it over to the table with his wand, watching it out of the corner of his eye as he brought the carafe of coffee over to Tina, letting her get a refill. Tina flicked her wrist and two plates came out of a cupboard and over to the table and them. Newt retrieved the syrup’s pot and brought it over to the table, watching as Tina took some of the pancakes.

They each made a plate of food and ate in silence. Newt quickly cast a stasis charm on the remaining batter while Tina cleaned up. Queenie still hadn’t appeared, and Newt did not know if Queenie just was not a morning person or if she was still asleep and or grieving Jacob. Newt, chuckling as he looked down at his flour dusted clothes, quickly and magically cleaned them up before sitting at the table in thought, planning on what he needed to get supply wise to make it back to England and finding a way to get to Arizona to release Frank back where he belonged. Tina had headed back into the bedroom to get ready for the day. She felt the need to go into work to fill out whatever paperwork Piquery felt was needed.

About twenty to thirty minutes later and Queenie stumbled into the kitchen slumping into the seat her sister had vacated. Tina followed behind her sister, a concerned look on her face. She prepared her sister a cup of coffee while Newt once again heated up the skillet to make food for Queenie.

Queenie’s face was pale but for the dark bags under her eyes while her eyes were red and puffy. She looked as miserable as she probably felt. Newt quickly made her a plate of pancakes before retreating back to his case to put on a fresh pair of clothes. Tina had smiled her thanks as he passed before watching her sister to make sure she ate some food.

Tina made sure her sister ate at least two pancakes and a whole cup of coffee before letting Queenie eat whatever else she wanted.

“We need to go to MACUSA, give our statements and such Queenie.” Tina told her after Queenie pushed her plate away. “We get this done and we don’t have to do anything else, so we can take a few days off.” Tina added as Queenie went to get dressed.

Tina worried her lip for a minute before going to retrieve Newt. She knocked on the lid and watched as he opened it before climbing out and finishing the cuffs of his shirt. He smiled at her and closed the lid and latched it. He was ready to go.

Just a few more minutes and Queenie returned, dressed and wearing minimal makeup. A few minutes of getting coats and scarves, and hats for the girls and they were ready to go. Newt smiled at them before heading over to the fire escape and apparating down to the street to avoid the landlady. Tina was relieved she had not thought of that until just then; so she and Queenie headed down the stairs and rejoined Newt. 

Ever the gentleman Newt offered each of the girls and arm. Tina took the arm that held his case so Queenie could take the other arm, and not worry about being hit with the case as they walked.

Twenty minutes later and they were being shown into the President’s office. The three of them were interviewed a couple of times before filling out the paperwork. Then the president’s assistant helped them find a train passage to the west so they could release the thunderbird, before being assured that Newt would set sail a few days after they returned, and would ensure that MACUSA had notice next time he wanted to pass through.

Apparently the teaching staff at Ilvermorny had told the President that he was doing important work and had shut down five to ten different animal trafficking rings. If he came through, the world owed him the ability to come study their own magical animals, otherwise America would not show up in any of his works. He also promised to only have the creatures that needed constant care for any reason or would not be separated from him. He would also be on hand whenever he was in the country to take on any rescue cases MACUSA had.

All in all Newt felt like that was the best that could come out of that conversation. He would attempt to put a good word in for Tina, to hopefully help her get placed back on the investigative team of aurors. She was wasted in the wand permit office.

The girls were finishing their own duties when the president’s assistant rushed in. The president called him back into the office and told him that he had a visitor. The minister had summoned someone to America in the day or so since Grindelwald as Graves arrested them. Newt had a guess or two as to who had come.

Ten minutes later and the door opened after a brisque knock. A small female with brown hair that held a few hints of red entered. Her eyes swept the room, landing on Newt with a raised eyebrow. Newt looked away before shrinking into his seat, getting a concerned look for Tina as he did so. This arrival was better then either of his first guesses: his brother or his father. Yet he still wasn’t quite sure how to handle this visitor. None of his family really knew how he worked when in the field.

The new arrival was Skylark Scamander, Newt’s younger sister. And she did not look happy to see him as he usually did.


	3. Chapter 3

Tina watched Newt shrank in his seat at the new arrival. It was weird; Newt normally stood with his spine near straight, just canted to one side. He appeared confident, but non-threatening when in that pose. This pose was submissive, vulnerable. Tina turned to the new arrival with an appraising eye of an auror. She was on the short side, her hair a rich brown with hints of coppery red, hints that were the same color as Newt’s hair. Her eyes were the same shape as Newt’s, though while Newt’s held more hints of green then gray, the newcomer’s held more gray then green. She was also young. She was wearing simply black trousers with a white shirt tucked in. A half cloak in cool colours covered her shoulders and arms to the elbow. Sturdy work boots made from dragonhide were on her feet. A ring of a small ruby set in yellow gold adorned her left ring finger, but did not have an accompanying wedding band; meaning she was engaged.

If Tina were to guess, this person was related to Newt. Perhaps his cousin as she had only heard his older brother mentioned or she could even be his sister-in-law; not a lot of news of the more gossipy nature made its way across the ocean, but the news that War-Hero Theseus Scamander was now a married man certainly did. Tina started when the woman turned her eyes on her, an eyebrow raising at something before moving over to Queenie and watching as her eyes widened and both eyebrows flew up. Tina bristled, she never liked when people looked at her sister that way. Queenie wanted to keep her gift a secret, so Tina was always worried someone would discover it.

But as Tina prepared to say something, she looked over at her sister. Queenie had mirrored the other woman before smiling and looking down. The newcomer shrugged before greeting the President in a brisque voice. Tina tuned out their conversation. Her eyes watched Newt, watching as he relaxed from his tense position to a more normal one as the newcomer spoke with the President.

She came back to the present and the President began to ask for Tina’s version of events, and the woman winced everytime Tina mentioned Grindelwald while impersonating Graves. While Tina and Queenie told they’re version of the past few days the newcomer dragged Newt into his case, mumbling about why he found it so hard to tell people he was injured. Tina nearly choked on her words when she realized that Newt wasn’t just stiff, he was injured. Queenie too looked shocked that she hadn’t picked up on his pain; he must have been well accustomed to hiding his pain and keep going on even while injured.

Tina and Queenie then wrote down the events for the case file. The President had left the room to see to arranging a compartment on a magical train or any other way to get Newt to Arizona to release Frank. When the two ladies were done, the visitor and Newt surfaced. They left Newt when the President returned. The three didn’t speak, Tina just held her sister’s hand as they waited for Newt.

An hour later he appeared and smiled at the three of them, he seemed much better both mentally and physically. Whatever the visitor did while in his case seemed to help. He looped over to where the three of them were waiting and looked at each one.

“The President secured a magical compartment on a train heading West tomorrow morning. She asks that you come along to keep me in line,” he told Tina who smiled and nodded. Getting out of the city for a few days would help.

“I’m coming too,” Queenie and the visitor said at the same time. Newt and Tina nodded, both knowing that arguing would be pointless.

“Of course, the train departs from the hidden section in Central Station tomorrow morning at nine in the morning.” Newt told them before moving to leave. The visitor rolled her eyes before turning to the sisters.

“I see the years alone have deteriorated Newt’s manners,” she started with a fond smile. “I’m Skylark Scamander, Newt’s baby sister.” She introduced herself, just as the sisters watched Newt, who was now just out of earshot stop and turn around.

“So sorry, this is my sister,” he said, eyes averted and down on the floor, looking at his own shoes.

The three females laughed and Skylark hugged her brother before leading the way out of the building.

“You get too far into your own head sometimes Brother,” Skylark said as the sisters followed.

“You’re both staying with us,” Queenie said and Skylark raised her eyebrow again, and the two women seemed to have a silent conversation. Tina looked over at Newt, who was looking around at the newly repaired city. He sensed her gaze and looked over at her shoulder, her eyes flicked to the other two. His eyes followed and he shrugged; obviously used to his sister’s antics. Skylark obviously decided to take up Queenie’s offer as she nodded. Before turning to Tina. 

“We’ll stay with you,” she said simply. Newt nodded patting his case; signaling that he would sleep inside once more. The four of them started towards the apartment, walking if only to stretch their limbs.

Tina spent most of the walk deep in thought, trying to figure out the puzzle Skylark Scamander presented. She remembered the look of shock on her sister’s face and Newt’s sister’s face when they meet earlier. She also remembered that somehow Newt knew when Queenie was in his head. He knew what that felt like; somehow. Realization struck to the point where Tina froze in her tracks. Skylark Scamander was a Legilimens just like Queenie. She felt both of them brush her thoughts just as Skylark spoke.

“And the hammer has fallen and struck true,” she said simply, confirming without using magical words the truth of Tina’s epiphany. She smiled at the brunette nodding yes, just incase the words confused her, before turning to face the correct direction again. So Skylark really was Legilimens just like Queenie, and maybe more powerful; she certainly had more control, she was trained at the very least.  _ Interesting, _ Tina thought as she began to walk again.

They approached the alley where Tina had apparated both Newt and Jacob the night they all met. Just like the night before Queenie and Tina stood at the mouth of the Alley while Newt and Skylark climbed into the case. Then Tina picked it up and the two sisters headed inside and up the stairs, giving the standard greeting to Mrs. Esposito on the way up the stairs.

When back in the apartment Tina set the case down under the window and rapped her knuckles on the case. A few seconds later and the lid opened to Skylark motioning them down. Queenie and Tina entered Newt’s suitcase to see Picket inside what must have been his favorite pocket of Newt’s while the man himself tended two Swooping Evils.

“I didn’t know you had two of them,” Tina commented and watched as Newt smiled sheepishly. He picked up the larger creature and handed it over to Skylark. The smaller one flew around Tina, seemingly remembering her comment as they escaped MACUSA.

“I only have one male, but this is it’s mother and belongs to Skylark.” He answered as Tina watched as the larger one curled up and once again became the very colorful half cloak Skylark had first appeared in. The woman simply ran the tip of one finger across the head of the creature that had at first appeared to be the clasp of the garment.

The four of them quickly had Newt’s creatures fed; with Queenie helping Skylark while Tina went with Newt. She didn’t really assist him all that much, but by the time they returned to the shed, she had Pickett on her shoulder and Dougal in her arms. When everyone was done with their tasks Dougal returned to his hanging nests near the Occamies and Picket returned to Newt’s breast pocket.

Then the four of them headed back up to the apartment and quickly washed up before making dinner for themselves. Newt and Skylark handled the cleaning spells while the sisters packed for the trip to Arizona. When that was done, Newt returned to his case while Skylark carried it into the room that the sister’s had intended for Jacob and Newt to use that first night.

After seeing that Skylark was set with everything she needed, the sister’s retired to their own room and soon fell asleep. Skylark spent a few minutes after the sisters fell asleep before she too shut her eyes to get some rest. Newt opened the secret door in the shed to his own living space and got ready for bed before pulling his manuscript out and making a few annotations on a few creatures before he too fell asleep just as Dougal opened the door and joined him. It was atypical for the demiguise to join him at night, but after the adventure of the last few days Newt wasn’t surprised when the creature wanted to be close to him. He fell asleep with the weight of the demiguise on his chest, the silvery hair tickling his neck and chin.


	4. Chapter 4

The carriage was devoid of other traveling wizards or witches; the school year was on a break for the holidays and the train to get them home had already departed the previous day from Ilvermorny, taking only the students who lived in the Midwestern and Western states; the students from the Eastern states would leave tomorrow. So this train, and the storage compartment at the back that hid the wizarding world while still allowing them to travel was virtually empty. 

The stack of crates they chose was quickly transfigured by the wizard in charge of the carriage into a compartment complete with comfortably worn dark leather seats, a rail overhead for luggage and a sliding door with muffling spells to keep conversations as private as they could be. Newt let the three witches enter the door ahead of him while he levitated everything but his magical suitcase onto the overhead rail.

Queenie, the blonde witch, Skylark, shared a look at the light brunette who smirked back before the two of them sat on the same side of the carriage, leaving Tina to sit next to Newt. The third witch raised her eyebrow at the other two women before sitting down near the door, letting Newt and his case take the window seat. Before he sat down the added his own privacy spells to the small compartment; he had learned that it was always best to take such matters into his own hands and not left up to someone else. He sighed before looking at Tina and gesturing to the window seat. She smiled softly and shook her head, moving to lean back into the corner where she was currently sitting, letting Newt take the Window seat; where he could see what would soon be all new landscape.

The train trundled along the tracks heading west. It would take four to five days for the train to arrive in Sacramento, California. From there, they would all take a portkey to the Grand Canyon; where deep in the canyon itself they would release Frank, the captured Thunderbird, back to his natural habitat. From there, they would take a couple of portkeys back to New York where Newt would board a steamship headed back to the United Kingdom. Where he would finally have the time to sit down and finish his manuscript. Skylark would stay for a day longer before taking either an international portkey or flooing back to England. She would arrive well before her brother made landfall.

If he finished the manuscript by the end of February, then the book could be printed mid to late August; just in time for the years’ Hogwarts letters to be sent out. Newt pulled himself out of his thoughts and watched as Tina curled herself back up against the wall and pulled a book out of the bag she kept with her. HIs gaze turned to Queenie and Skylark. HIs sister and new friend were pulling out a chessboard and chess pieces; though they weren’t magical for Wizard’s chess. It was deemed too risky back in the Goldstein sisters’ apartment, so had been left there.

Newt watched with interest as the two Legilimens started playing. After a few moves however they actually stopped moving the physical pieces and instead moved the ones inside their heads; using the set up board to visualize where the pieces would go in there heads. He still watched for several minutes until Skylark smiled and sank back against the arm rest near the door. Queenie scowled at the loss before shaking her head with a grin.

At some point Tina had stopped reading from her book and watched her sister with a soft, sad smile on her face. Queenie’s face for all its apparent happiness was still drawn. Bags could barely be seen under her eyes and make-up and the smile on her face seemed drawn and forced, but she was doing better. This trip with Newt seemed to put a little bit of the pre-Jacob spark back in her sister and Tina loved seeing it again. She should work on a way to help Jacob out, make sure that he could be happy; even if it was a happiness without Queenie.

Tina was surprised when her thoughts didn’t get a reaction from her sister; she was never able nor truly willing to block her sister out of her thoughts, but a quick look at the second, more powerful, legilimens in the compartment told her that Skylark had blocked that particular thought from reaching her sister. She nodded to Newt’s sister before marking her place in the book she had brought and slid it back into her bag before taking out a second bound book of paper.

This book isn't a book for reading, no it was a sketchbook. Tina liked to sketch anything she could think of, though only Queenie knew about this particular hobby; well Queenie and the real Percival Graves. She had put detailed sketches into some of her early reports on cases she had worked, and he had noted that her memory for crime scenes and witness descriptions of suspects had been spot on; in fact he had started calling her into witness interviews for any case that came up just so she could sketch what the witness described. But even he had never seen the many sketchbooks filled with sketches of random No-maj’s, city scapes, and anything else she could sketch.

Normally she wouldn’t even bring it out around anyone but Queenie, but she knew Skylark had probably seen her sketches with her powerful gift and Newt had also been seen with a sketchbook on occasion, so she felt more comfortable taking out the sketchbook and pencils she took with her on trips with these people: friends and sister.

She flipped to a fresh page and started to sketch Pickett, who was standing on Newt’s shoulder looking around. He looked over at her, and must have realized what she was doing and struck and held a pose. She chuckled and continued to sketch him. Newt and Skylark heard her chuckle and looked over at her. Skylark smiled before turning back to whatever silent conversation she and Queenie were having while Newt shook his head.

“He’ll always want you to sketch him now, you know,” he informed her. She shrugged, knowing that Newt and his case of creatures would depart to London after re-releasing Frank to finish his manuscript and report to the Ministry there and go on with their daily lives.

She sketched for the remainder of the day, stopping only when the lights in the compartment were a bit too dim to properly see. She watched as Newt sealed the compartment doors before setting his case down on the floor between the two bench seats and opened it. He let Skylark and Queenie enter the case first before turning to her and tilting his head towards the case in a silent question. Tina smiled and nodded. She set the sketchbook aside and stood up before entering Newt’s world.

Dougal and Skylark’s Swooping Evil were waiting at the bottom of the staircase inside the shed for them. The four of them each grabbed pails and food for the creatures in Newt’s care and started the evening rounds. Dougal bounced between the four of them helping wherever he could before curling into Newt’s chest as the man watched Tina feed the baby occamies.

Newt remained in the case while the females climbed back up and relaxed a little before all four of them fell asleep; Newt in his bed behind the ladder leading out of the case with both his and his sister’s Swooping Evils curled into him and the Niffler resting on his stomach.Skylark reinforced the spells that protected the compartment, knowing that they would hold for the rest of the night. The girls had transfigured the bench seats and added one under the window into comfortable mattresses and their clothes into pajamas before they too turned in for the night.

Five days later and they were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon where with a tearful farewell Newt set Frank free. Their portkey back to New York wasn’t until the next morning so all four of them camped out in Newt’s case; Newt had expanded the little shed to have two rooms for the girls to share and grabbed a sleeping bag and pallet and headed to the Erumpment’s savannah enclosure to sleep for the night.

Queenie and Skylark found sleep relatively easy, but Tina was a little restless. She had spent most of the day while waiting for the cover of dark to release the Thunderbird sketching, she had sketched in some basic detail almost all of the creatures inside Newt’s case and a few of the man himself. It was while working on the latest sketch of Newt, holding one of the occamies, that she realized that she didn’t want him to leave, she didn’t want to lose him.

And that thought spiraled out of control when she realized that someone of the male population had a piece of her heart. SHe hadn’t let any man or anyone other than Queenie have that. Her heart had been shattered during her first few years outside of school and since then she kept her heart under lock and key, but this British Magizoologist waltzed into her life with his awkward walk and lack of eye contact but beautiful smile and wicked sense of humor and had somehow picked the lock around her heart.

She would take awhile to piece the lock back together along with any other parts of her heart that were shattered by his departure. Though she would cling to the hope that he would return some day, after all they had become friends during the past few days. With that hope in her mind and heart TIna finally relaxed enough to fall asleep in the room she had all to herself. Of course it helped that the room she had was Newt’s room for when he stayed in his case, and therefore smelled like him.

What she wouldn’t give to have this smell around her every time she fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Tina watched with a small smile as the awkward wizard made his way up the gangplank; stopping in the middle before pressing on. When he vanished, she turned around and started to make her way to safe spot to apparate to her home from; a slight skip in her step. She hoped this would lead to a beautiful friendship; if nothing else. Her brain not letting her heart hope for anything more.

She decided to walk most of the way home, instead of apparating. She had a lot of restless energy and wanted to work some of it out before arriving home, just so she wouldn’t pace a hole in her floors when she made it back to the apartment. She smiled when she remembered the adventure they had in the last week.

That week ended with her back on the auror team and out of the wand permit office, it ended with Queenie meeting another witch who had her ability and Tina gained a friend or two herself. Tina didn’t make friends easily: she was too busy setting up her career or making sure Queenie was okay. Her defense mechanism reflected her name: she pricked when she felt threatened and lashed out. Very few people had tried to see who she was underneath the sarcasm and caustic remarks.

Queenie knew her every thought, and so didn’t even acknowledge any remark made when her sister was defensive. The only other individual who took the time to get to know her had been Percival Graves. He had attended Ilvermorny with both of her parents, and so spent the two years she spent as an auror trainee, with Queenie still at school, letting her stay at his townhouse and telling her stories of her parents while they had been at school and the first few years of their marriage.

Tina berated herself for not continuing to see Graves after her demotion; but her pride had not allowed her to go see him. If she had, she might have been able to figure out he wasn’t Graves but Gellert in disguise. But if that had happened, she probably would have been killed; she had never been able to pull off lies beyond the simple ones. He would have figured it out and had her killed before she could let anyone know. Perhaps this was for the best, he had been caught and imprisoned.

She was halfway to the apartment and so she ducked into an alley and checked for any vagrants in the alley before apparating to the alleyway near the building. She quickly entered the building, feeling cold once she felt how warm it was inside. So she hurried up the stairs, not hearing if Mrs. Esposito come out to greet her. Tina opened her door and entered the room. She took off her hat and shoes before sitting on the couch next to her sister.

Queenie was curled up in the corner of the couch, one of the throw blankets wrapped around her. Her hair was still pinned up in her curlers and she wasn’t wearing makeup. She had dark circles under her eyes that were pink and puffy. Tina also wanted to cry, for the pain her sister was feeling. Instead she pulled Queenie into her arms and just held her.

“It will all be okay, somehow,” she told her sister. “It won’t happen tomorrow, it won’t happen next week, but at some point it will get better. Just take it one day at a time. That is all you can do.” She told her sister; words muffled by her sister’s hair, but the thoughts registered with her sister anyway. The two of them sat in silence for awhile, simply holding onto each other. Tina slowly moved away from her sister’s blonde curls and reclined further into the couch, hand holding her sister’s.

“Did Newt catch his ship?” Queenie asked. Tina didn’t bother to answer, merely let down all of her walls so her sister could simply know. Queenie let her sister’s thoughts wash over her, moving to mirror her sister’s position before pulling her legs up under her and placing her head on her sister’s shoulder.

“I’m happy that he promised you that he’d be back. I haven’t felt your thoughts this content in years.” Queenie told her sister.

“We’ll see how long it lasts.” Tina said, already preparing for the disappointment of Newt not keeping his promise.

“He’ll keep his promise,” Queenie told her sister; whose mind didn’t believe her. “I don’t believe Newt has ever truly broken a promise. He might not have been able to fully meet his promise but he has always tried his best.”

“I thought you couldn’t read his mind,?” Tina asked.

“It got easier towards the end, especially after everything. He trusted me enough afterwards to relax some of the walls he had in his mind.” Queenie said, before the two fell silent again.

The sisters sat in complete silence for the next few hours, simply processing the events of the last week. Tina was vaguely aware of the passage of time as she merely sat with her sister. Queenie just sank into her own head, only just aware of her sister’s thoughts.

Eventually they stir and move from the couch to the kitchen where they tag team making a simple dinner; neither of them actually hungry but knowing they need to eat. They ate their meal in silence, TIna handled clean up as they returned to the couch.

They sat at opposite ends of the couch, legs across the middle as they used their prefered method of escapism: reading. A few more hours and Queenie kissed the top of her sister’s head as she went from their apartment to the lavatory for a bath. Tina spent forty-five minutes, the time it took for Queenie to bathe and dress finishing up her chapter.

She traded places with Queenie, before crawling into the bath where she quickly washed before returning home. She crawled into her bed, and fell asleep. She woke up once during the night; when Queenie crawled into her bed, unable to sleep. The sisters had been sharing a bed a lot in the last week. The only other point in their lives had been in the months after their parents’ deaths.

*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!*!

Two weeks had passed since Tina had said goodbye to Newt. During that time she had taken the first week off; she spent the time making sure the apartment was clean, and celebrating Hanukkah with her sister.

The second week she spent moving her meger office supplies back from the Wand Permit Office to her desk at the Investigative Division. She had been called in for sketches three times that week as they eased her back into the rotation.

She and Queenie spent their evenings making food and taking it to the hospital, and eating with Graves. He was healing, physically, well and would soon be released from the hospital. Queenie promised that she and Tina would visit for weekly meals and keep him updated on everything that was going on at MACUSA while he was on leave.

One day she was sitting at her desk, working on a sketch for another team’s case when the mailman came through. He tossed a letter to Tina, which was unusual because Tina didn’t often get mail while at work. She waited until the man passed onto desks on the other side of the room before placing her sketch to the side and picked up the letter.

The handwriting was messy and not quite familiar, but Tina felt like she should know who had written her. She opened the letter and dropped it on her desk in shock. Newt. Newt had written her a letter. She glanced at the clock and decided to take her lunch break. She grabbed her coat, hat and gloves from the hook behind her desk and shouted at her boss that she would be back after getting something to eat.

She snatched the letter and rushed out, barely hearing his answer. She rushed out of the building and rushed to the park before sinking down on a bench and pulling the letter out from her pocket.

_ Dear Tina, _

_ I wanted to let you know that I made it to my parents’ house safely. I’ll be staying here while finishing my manuscript since I don’t have a place of my own yet. _

_ The journey home was, thankfully, uneventful. All my creatures, save Pickett, stayed safely in their case for the whole journey. The niffler even seemed content to stay in his burrow and rearrange it to his heart’s content. _

_ I find myself strangely conflicted at the moment. Part of me is happy to be home, and knows that here with my family I’ll be able to complete my book. The other part of me yearns to be in New York with you guys. _

_ It is for that reason that I will hasten to finish the book. The sooner I finish with it, the sooner it will get printed. I have a promise that I have every intention of fulfilling. _

_ Please give my regards to Queenie. Also know that the return address on this letter will be the best place to reach me; should either of you feel the need to keep up correspondence with me. But do not feel like you have to write to me. _

_ Yours Truly, _ _   
_ _ Newt Scamander _

Tina read the letter three times before standing up and holding it close to herself as she purchased a hot dog and ate it on the way back to work. She would have Queenie help her write a reply. The only thing she knew she wanted to say was that hearing from him made her day, and she would always want to hear from him.

The smile on her face didn’t leave for the rest of her day. 


End file.
